Acceptance
by Darkfire75
Summary: Title sux, blech. He handed the brunette a small brightly and poorly wrapped box. “Happy Birthday, Tezuka.” AtoTez oneshot


_**Author's note: **__Well uh…this is my FIRST AtoTez fanfic. I've written other PoT fics, I just haven't posted them anywhere. They're mostly drabble things. ANYWAY, I am a big AtoTez fan and after finding all these Japanese fanart sites of pics of the two, I was inspired to write a story. I know it's kinda corny and too fluffy (trust me, I like hot, passionate stuff), but it seemed to fit well since these two are only fourteen. I've been writing PoT fanfics since um…January, so I have a pretty good feel for the characters (I hope). I love writing Tezuka and Atobe. They're just so much fun :D I've read better fics for this couple and I feel that I've let this pairing down. I just don't like the ending. _

_Oh yeah, and the first part is supposed to take place on October 7__th__, Tezuka's birthday (which I'm extremely late for XD). I dunno…I just don't find this to be one of my best. I ran out of ideas towards the end. I wanted to include a kiss though and I did. I'm proud of myself for that :) So um…yeah…hope you can enjoy this little oneshot. _

_**Disclaimer: **__If I owned Prince of Tennis, this pairing would be canon. Konomi-sensei gives us enough hints to keep us fans entertained though. _

* * *

"Buchou."

Tezuka Kunimitsu turned to look at his star freshman player with a questionable look. "What, Echizen? I thought I told you to keep running laps," he stated.

"Monkey Ki—I mean Atobe-san is here," Ryoma replied, tipping his cap lower.

Tezuka narrowed his eyes and looked up. Sure enough, the enigmatic captain of Hyotei Gakuen, Atobe Keigo, was standing behind the tennis court fence; his constant companion, Kabaji Munehiro, was nowhere to be found.

"I'll deal with him," the stoic boy said with a sigh. Just what had he deserved to be pestered by Atobe, of all days? Ryoma nodded and started running laps around the court again. Tezuka took a deep breath and started walking towards the Hyotei diva. "Atobe, what are you doing here?" he growled.

"Why Tezuka, is that any way to treat ore-sama?" the other proclaimed. "Ore-sama has come all the way from school just to see you."

"Why?"

Atobe blinked. "Are you feeling all right, Tezuka?"

"Yes."

"Then you must know why I'm here." Tezuka continued to stare at him. The silver-haired boy sighed heavily. "Oh Tezuka, Tezuka. Ore-sama worries for you." He bent down towards his school bag and took something out. He handed the brunette a small brightly (and poorly) wrapped box. "Happy Birthday, Tezuka."

Tezuka blinked down at the small gift. Why would Atobe even bother to…Wait, how did he even know today was his birthday? "Atobe…what is this?"

Atobe gave him a look. "Is it not obvious, Tezuka? It's a gift."

"…a gift?"

"A gift."

"Why?"

Atobe wanted to slap the other captain around the head a few times. "Because I thought I should get something for my rival."

"How did you know today was my birthday?"

He smirked. "You may have a data man in Seigaku, but don't underestimate the power of Hyotei's data files." He received a blank look. Atobe blushed furiously. "Just open the damn box!"

Tezuka decided to humor him (for once) and carefully unwrapped the gift. A shiny, brand new silver cell phone dropped into his hand. Atobe seemed to glow from the other side of the fence, waiting for Tezuka's reaction. "You bought me a cell phone," Tezuka stated.

"I did," Atobe proclaimed proudly. "Ore-sama thought you might need a new one."

"…why?"

"Does everything I do require an explanation?"

"Yes."

"Fine," he sighed, massaging his temple. "Ore-sama thought that it would be easier if ore-sama bought you a phone so that way we could call each other easily and set up times to play tennis. My number's already inputted into that phone, by the way."

Tezuka felt like hitting his head against a brick wall. Why did Atobe insist on being so…Atobe? "I already have a cell phone, Atobe."

"I know. But it's old and this one's fresh from the market. Don't you want fresh goods?"

"No. What a want is for you to leave Seigaku immediately."

"Tezuka—"

"Atobe, you've wasted enough of my time. Please leave."

The Hyotei captain seemed a bit hurt at being told off. But he was Atobe Keigo; Tezuka's comments had never bothered him before. However…

"Saa…Tezuka, don't you think that was a bit harsh?" Fuji Syuusuke, resident sadistic tensai and Tezuka's close friend, appeared behind him after Atobe had left.

"No," the other replied, tucking the cell phone into his pocket.

"Atobe is a bit eccentric."

"Fuji, I thought you couldn't stand Atobe."

"I can't," the prodigy said, letting his eyes open a bit. "But you didn't see the way he looked when he left."

"He'll get over it."

"Yeah, he might. Or he could be severely devastated and want revenge on you."

"…"

"I'm just saying, Tezuka. Atobe may have the biggest ego on the planet, but he's still got a heart somewhere under that rich and pompous exterior."

"Fuji…"

"Ja ne, Tezuka."

Tezuka frowned and looked down at the silver cell phone in his pocket. He couldn't imagine that Atobe would be hurt by something he'd said. Atobe was so flamboyant; the complete opposite of Tezuka. How they were semi-friends and yet still rivals was still a mystery to him. He sighed and opened the phone, calling Atobe on speed dial.

"_This is ore-sama,"_ his voice said on the other end.

"It's me," Tezuka replied.

"_I know. I saw the caller ID, Tezuka." _

"…"

"_So…decided to try out the phone I gave you?"_ He could just _picture_ the smirk the diva was sporting on the other end.

"I wanted to apologize."

There was a pause. _"A-Apologize?"_

"Yes."

"…_For what?" _

"For telling you to leave."

"…_Okay?" _

"Fuji seemed to think I had hurt your feelings and that you would come after me for revenge if I didn't call and apologize."

"_I see…"_

"Aa."

There was another long pause. Then, _"Ne, Tezuka…I want to ask you something." _

"All right."

"_Would you like to…go out…sometime…?" _

Tezuka stared at his phone for a few minutes, unsure if he had heard Atobe correctly. "Excuse me?"

"_I'll understand if you don't want to, Tezuka!"_ the other sputtered out. _"It's just…I…"_

"Fine."

"…_huh?" _

"I said fine, Atobe. I'll…go out with you." His cheeks were bright red as he said that, wondering just what he had gotten himself into.

* * *

Tezuka had no experience with dates. He'd never gone on one with a _girl_, much less a _boy_. And this was no ordinary boy. This was Atobe Keigo, one of the richest people in Japan. How do you treat someone like that on a date? They met up at a café near Seigaku and took Atobe's limo to wherever Atobe had decided they would go.

The car ride was agonizingly long and silent. Atobe seemed to shift closer to him and gave him a genuine smile. Tezuka tried to reciprocate, but failed miserably. He just didn't smile. Atobe ordered the driver to stop and the two exited the car. "Atobe-sama, when and where should I pick you up later?" the driver asked.

"I'll call you," he answered. He turned back to Tezuka and very deliberately slipped his hand into the brunette's. Tezuka tensed up and looked down at their hands. It felt weird. "I'm sorry," Atobe mumbled, taking his hand back. "Did ore-sama make you uncomfortable?"

"A little bit," he confessed.

They continued walking and eventually the topic of who their favorite tennis idols were began. Tezuka enjoyed this conversation because 1) he enjoyed the topic and 2) because Atobe seemed to have the same interests as him. Eventually they became hungry and Atobe steered him into a small restaurant that served all kinds of dishes.

"What would you like, Tezuka?"

"It doesn't matter."

Tezuka wasn't a picky eater, unlike Atobe, so he wasn't that hard to buy for. They ordered their food and ate in a very uncomfortable silence. "So…" Atobe started.

"This is very good," Tezuka interrupted as he ate his meal. Atobe smiled as small dashes of pink came to his cheeks.

"Ore-sama is glad you like it."

The brunette swallowed and blinked over at the other boy. "You were saying?"

"Oh…yeah. So how's the team doing?"

Tezuka narrowed his eyes slightly. "Why are you concerned?"

"I'm just trying to make small talk, Tezuka. Jeez."

"They are well."

"That's…good."

"…"

Tezuka could see Atobe was agonizing over not having anything to say to him. His blue eyes kept looking at him before looking in another direction. Atobe was nervous? That was a first.

"Atobe."

"Hmm?"

Tezuka held his hand out. Atobe stared down at him uncertainly. "Take it."

"But I thought—"

"Last offer."

"…okay." The Hyotei captain took Tezuka's hand into his own and held it. His hands seemed so much more calloused and worn down from so many years of playing tennis. "Tezuka…do you hate ore-sama?" the question was so quiet that Tezuka had to lean in to hear it.

"If I did, would I be here right now?" Sometimes Tezuka worried for Atobe. He asked silly questions that had obvious answers.

"Well…you could just be here for blackmail."

"I don't blackmail."

Atobe chuckled. "That's right. You're too honorable for that." He squeezed Tezuka's hand lightly; as if to reassure himself that he was indeed holding the other's hand. "I just thought…after…"

"I've gotten over that, Atobe. My shoulder is fully healed now."

"I know. Ore-sama is glad for that. But I still feel guilty."

Tezuka glanced at him through his glasses. "You shouldn't." To prove his point, he interlaced their fingers as they held hands, making the position much more intimate. Both boys blushed. "Others may blame you for what happened. But just remember that I don't."

Atobe never looked more humanly vulnerable than after he said that. He looked as if he had never had someone say that to him before with such a gentle tone. "Thank you…Tezuka." He brought the Tezuka's hand up to his lips and placed a soft kiss there. "Thank you for accepting me."

* * *

They left the restaurant in closer contact than before. Atobe still held Tezuka's hand and he was staring at the taller boy with such admiration that it was beginning to annoy Tezuka. "I'm not that great to look at," he stated.

"Ore-sama would beg to differ," the silver-haired boy replied with a smirk.

Why was it that no matter what Atobe said or did, Tezuka always found himself flushed and embarrassed? He looked down at their entwined hands curiously. How long ago was it that if someone had said he'd be on a date with Atobe Keigo, he would have made them run 100 laps? Now, the prospect of being with Atobe wasn't really that bad. Sure he could be annoying and overly dramatic sometimes. But that's what made him uniquely Atobe. If he didn't act that way, he wouldn't be so interesting. And Tezuka had always harbored a deep secret of finding Atobe's beauty mark below his right eye very sexy. Of course he kept this to himself.

Atobe stopped suddenly, as though deep in though. Tezuka waited. The other boy then turned to face him, a determined look on his face. "Ore-sama will definitely get you to open up, Tezuka," he said confidently. "I don't care how long it takes."

Tezuka blinked. _What?_

Atobe smirked and flicked his hair back. "Just you watch. Ore-sama will break you out of your shell."

Well, Atobe _was_ known to confuse people with his randomness and overly large ego, and he'd just successfully confused the stoic captain of Seigaku.

* * *

Their date had ended rather uninterestingly. They had said goodbye and Atobe had kissed the other's cheek teasingly. Tezuka couldn't deny the tingles he had felt. The next day during tennis practice, Atobe came by Seigaku again.

"Tezuka-buchou, Atobe-san's back again!" Momoshiro exclaimed.

"Fssh, you don't have to be so loud, idiot," Kaidoh growled.

"NANI??!! WANNA GO, MAMUSHI?!"

"Momoshiro! Kaidoh! 50 laps!" Tezuka barked. He could see Atobe telling him to come closer and sighed. "We're in the middle of practice, Atobe."

"I can see that," he replied airily, as though the news didn't affect him at all. "I wanted to talk to you in private."

"…All right. Oishi, take over!" he called to his vice-captain. "I'll be right back!"

"Hai!"

Tezuka followed Atobe outside of the courts to behind the boys' locker room. "So what did you want, Atobe?" he asked calmly. Atobe gave him no chance to move. He was pinned up against the wall. Tezuka, blushing furiously, glared down at him. "What is the meaning of this?" he snarled.

Atobe smirked and pressed up against him. "I said I'd break you out of your shell," he whispered against the other's ear. Tezuka shivered as he felt the warm breath tickle him. And then Atobe was kissing him. It was awkward. Tezuka didn't know how to respond. On one hand he was angry with Atobe; so angry that he had though of kicking him where it hurts. But on the other hand, his kiss was very intoxicating; he felt like he would be drunk from it. Tezuka bit his lip, trying to stifle a moan as Atobe's lips went down to his neck and began to kiss there.

The stoic captain had no control of his own body. His hands grabbed at Atobe's perfect hair, disheveling it instantly. Atobe moved back up to kiss him, their lips gently touched before he crashed his mouth onto Tezuka's. This time Tezuka kissed back. He felt like all this stress had been lifted from his shoulders. His glasses were fogging up, so as a courtesy, Atobe carefully removed them and held them in his left hand. He showered the other boy with kisses. Tezuka had never blushed so much to his life. He'd never felt such contentment, aside from playing tennis. Atobe kept him pinned against the wall and continued his sensuous assault. His right hand lifted up Tezuka's jersey so that he could feel the taunt muscles of his abdomen underneath.

"A-Atobe," Tezuka stuttered out. "What if someone sees us?"

"We'd have some explaining to do, ne?" he said with a grin. He kissed him again, savoring his taste. And then he pulled back and there was no more. Atobe handed Tezuka his glasses back and kissed him one last time. "Has ore-sama succeeded in helping you, Tezuka?"

The other boy nodded, trying to fight down his blush. He fixed his clothes and gave Atobe a stern look. "That was uncalled for."

"Are you mad?" the diva asked playfully.

"No. But next time, can't we go somewhere more private?" He blushed once the sentence left his mouth.

Atobe smiled. "Whatever you want, Tezuka."

* * *

_**Author's note: **chokes self for horrible ending I'm so sorry! I really don't feel like I've done this couple justice at all...but if people end up liking this oneshot, I'll be happy. At least I made someone else happy :D That's all I care about. If I can make someone else smile with my writing, then I'm satisfied. _


End file.
